In our daily routines, whether we send an email, we post something on Facebook, or we download an episode from a TV show, we generate data that is stored in different data centres. These data centres and cloud providers consume 6% of the global electricity and generate 4% of the global CO2 emissions, posing a serious threat to the environment. The digital industry is trying to minimise its impact on the environment with different attempts, and the Spanish startup Submer is doing its part. The EIC-funded project is changing data centres to make them as sustainable as possible.
One of the aspects that dramatically affects the efficiency and sustainability of a data centre is cooling. The cooling process accounts for 40% of all power consumed by data centres and finding the correct cooling strategy is a top priority for operators. Submer developed a highly efficient, eco-friendly immersion cooling solution for any IT equipment that saves 50% of the electricity, 85% of the physical space and can be placed anywhere. The company uses a special synthetic dielectric coolant, specifically crafted for Immersion Cooling. One of the biggest advantages of this coolant is that it’s not mineral-based and it is naturally bio-degradable if accidentally freed into the environment.
Submer’s target customers are the world’s data centres that can’t move their infrastructure to cold climates (mainly because of end-customer proximity and local security policies) and still need to compete on the market. This immersion cooling solution is also perfect for high-density applications like cryptocurrency mining (Bitcoin, Etherium, Ripple or Litecoin). Last week, the company announced a strategic partnership with Kaori Heat Treatment CO., LTD, a leading manufacturer of thermal solutions in the Asia-Pacific region. The partnership will be multifaceted, covering different areas from design to sales, to technical support and distribution.
“Kaori has been in the game for a long time to perfectly understand the needs of the data centre industry and how to tackle the heat treatment issue with cutting edge solutions. We are honoured to work with such a prestigious company. Together with Kaori – also a member of the Open Compute Project Foundation community – we will work to create a future of green and highly efficient data centres built around decarbonisation, and use of renewable energy”, said Daniel Pope, CEO of Submer.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the digital transformation initiatives remain a top priority and Submer is trying to conquer this market with their green solutions:
“Kaori’s deep knowledge of the APAC market, together with our expertise and innovative technology, will allow us to engage with even more customers”, added Adrian Whelan, VP of Partners and Business Development at Submer.
In 2018, at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai, Submer was awarded best IoT Startup of the year, but other landmark achievements followed this award. Its innovative technology is being installed in very important companies and institutions like the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Geneva and the company received a Phase 2 Grant of €1.3 M from the European Innovation Council.
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.